Technical Field
The present invention relates to an exhaust heat recovery device structure.
Related Art
A technique is known in which an exhaust heat recovery device is connected to an exhaust pipe that exhausts gas that has been generated at an internal combustion engine, and cooling water of the internal combustion engine such as an engine or the like is heated by the gas within the exhaust pipe, and warming-up of the internal combustion engine is promoted. As such an exhaust heat recovery device structure, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2006-161593 discloses an exhaust heat recovery device structure in which a catalyst system (a catalytic converter) that purifies gas and an exhaust heat recovery device are connected rectilinearly by the exhaust pipe. Further, JP-A No. 2013-170508 discloses an exhaust heat recovery device structure that introduces outside air into an exhaust heat recovery device and cools cooling water.
However, in the structure of JP-A No. 2013-170508, the exhaust pipe is laid so as to circumvent the radiator (heat exchanger) as seen in plan view, and therefore, space for arranging the peripheral parts is limited. On the other hand, if the catalytic converter and the exhaust heat recovery device are connected rectilinearly as in JP-A No. 2006-161593, the exhaust heat recovery device can be disposed at the inner side of the floor tunnel. However, work space is needed in order to connect a cooling water pipe to the exhaust heat recovery device. Therefore, there is room for improvement in order to ensure work space for carrying out connection of pipes and the like, without widening the cross-section of the floor tunnel.